Lovely Blossoms

The sun beat down on the open cage. The four people that remained inside were covered in sweat and smelled of filth. The surroundings had changed from a thick forest to a hot sandy desert, and though they were hot and uncomfortable Fen Hua and Gui Ren still managed to fill the time with conversation.

"No, the earth revolves around the sun," Fen Hua stated.

"That makes no sense," Gui Ren argued.

"It does, listen, let me explain it one more time. The moon orbits the earth, and the earth orbits the sun. That is why we have different seasons, and days. It takes one day for the moon to circle the earth and one year for the earth to circle the sun."

"She's right dummy," Yang Jie piped in. They both turned to look at her, surprised she spoke at all. Usually it was just the two of them talking, and the other two staring off into the distance like death was upon them. "Didn't you learn anything growing up?"

"No, I didn't learn anything. How would I have time to learn something when all I did was work since I was a kid."

Fen Hua was a little surprised that Yang Jie knew what she said was true. She had been secretly hoping that she could use little tid bits of her knowledge to help her out somehow in the future. She had been talking with Gui Ren for a good while now and there wasn't much he did know, she thought she had a wealth of insight, but now she was starting to think that it was just him who didn't know.

She mulled over this thought for a moment, a feeling of disappointment bubbling inside, until she felt his eyes on her again. She looked at him from the corner of her eye. She didn't want to get grumbled at by him again so she quickly looked away.

Fei Ling had a soft smile on his lips. He was surprised by how much she seemed to know about things. Even he, who had some of the best teachers in his country, and several years of tutoring from scholars in Tanyeong, felt like he was being taught by her . He wondered about her. Who exactly was she?

They entered a small village on the border of Tanyeong and the Neutral Territory. The homes here were dusty and run down except for one. This home, thought not nice, stood out among the others simply because it wasn't as bad as they were.

As they rode through the small road between the houses a man stepped out from this house. He stared at the back of the cart and rubbed at the hair under his chin, a slick smile formed and he took a step forward with a hand raised.

The cart came to a slow stop, the bigger slaver stared down at the on comer with a deadly gaze.

He smiled widely and lifted both hands showing he was coming in peace.

"What do you want?" The smaller slaver asked.

"I notice that you have a couple of beauties back there...."he hedged rubbing at his chin again.

The smaller slaver turned his gaze to the back of the cart and puckered his lips.

"Yes," he said casually, "they should fetch a fine price," he said glancing down at him.

"Yes, of course they will. Perhaps maybe even a little more?" He moved closer to the carriage. "If say, one of them were to spend the night in a warm bed, wouldn't that allow you a little extra before selling them off at the market?"

The smaller slaver grinned and gave him a price. After a few short minutes of negotiations, one of which was a place for all of them to sleep and clean up. This was an expense the slavers had expected to pay in the Neutral Territory so as far as they were concerned this was a bonus on top of a bonus.

Fen Hua felt her skin crawl as the man approached the cage. His eyes darted from Yang Jie to her, until they turned back to the slaver. "Come inside, come inside."

They were set up in a small room. Each of them chained to one another, Gui Ren, next to Fen Hua, Fei Ling, and then Yang Jie. A bucket of water and several rags were set in front of them.

"Clean up," the big slaver said. He nudged the bucket closer to them with his foot and then spit out to the side of him.

Fen Hua felt herself trembling. She knew what they were here for.

"Clean up, or I'll do it for you," he barked at Fen Hua.

The slaver took a step back noticing the hostility coming from both the men who sat next to her. Luckily she reached in and grabbed a cloth sparing him from having to enforce himself.

After they were all cleaned up, the smaller slaver came in the room obviously drunk, a cup was in his hand, the contents sloshed around some spilling on the floor. He pointed at Fen Hua, "Bring her out, she's the lucky winner tonight."

The home owner stepped in behind him the lecherous grin covering his lips, a greedy haze in his eyes.

Before Fen Hua, or either of the two men could say anything. Yang Jie stood up. She smiled at the owner of the house and did her best to look appealing.

"Not you," the slaver snapped. "Sit back down." He planned to have her tonight.

"Why not me?" She asked in an innocent voice. "Shouldn't I be allowed to spend time in comfort for one night? Won't I have to live the rest of my life as a slave? Surly you wouldn't deny me a night of relief?" Her voice had become heavy with insinuations.

Her words stirred the man, his eyes roamed over her body, a hunger growing inside of him.

"I want that one," he said smiling.

The slaver grumbled, but he had told him he could have his pick, he couldn't go back on it now. He originally thought that as long as he brought Fen Hua out first he would be fine with her, but then he had followed him in the room. He unchained her from the rest, grabbing her wrist roughly in his hand. She winced at the pain, and turned away from his hostile gaze. He flung her to the other man and turned his eyes to Fen Hua as they left.

"Stand up," he ordered her.

Fen Hua wasn't about to willingly give herself to this man. She would fight with her very life, just as she would have with the other.

"I won't," she said with finality. Her eyes were filled with determination. The slaver took a step back. He had felt a strange intensity coming from her, a quiet humming, or vibration. He backed himself against the wall his cup falling to the floor as he stumbled. The sound of it broke him from his shock and he righted himself. Though he wasn't sure what had just happened, he also didn't want to find out.

Fei Ling stared at Fen Hua who had pushed herself into Gui Rens side. He wasn't worried about stopping the slaver from having her, he knew Gui Ren would have stopped it before he ever had to. He wondered if he would have risked everything for her if Gui Ren had failed.